1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a photovoltaic apparatus comprising a conductive intermediate layer between a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions.
2. Description of the Background Art
A photovoltaic apparatus comprising a conductive intermediate layer between a plurality of photoelectric conversion units (photoelectric conversion portions) is known in general, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-118273, for example.
In the photovoltaic apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-118273, first and second transparent electrodes are formed on a substrate at a prescribed interval, while a first photoelectric conversion unit is formed on the first and second transparent electrodes. A second photoelectric conversion unit is formed on the first photoelectric conversion unit through a conductive intermediate layer. First and second back electrodes are arranged on the second photoelectric conversion unit to correspond to the aforementioned first and second transparent electrodes respectively. The first back electrode is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode through a groove so formed as to pass through the second photoelectric conversion unit, the intermediate layer and the first photoelectric conversion unit.
In the photovoltaic apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-118273, however, the first back electrode is in contact with the conductive intermediate layer in the groove, to disadvantageously result in an electrical short circuit between the first back electrode and the intermediate layer.